Judge Davis Takes Case to Lawmakers

Brazos County District Judge Rick Davis vowed to put a judicial reprimand behind him, when he ran for re-election.

But, as we first told you last week, Davis is now trying to change the system that put a mark on his record.

Three years ago Judge Rick Davis received a reprimand from the state after a run-in with a prosecutor in the D.A.'s office. Now he's trying to change the way judges are investigated and sanctioned.

Davis says his motives for trying to get a bill on the books is strictly to make the system more fair.

He says in 2002 when he went before the commission he wasn't allowed to face his accusers and he says secret evidence was used against him.

Davis says the defendants in his courtroom are afforded better treatment than he was.

After Davis' reprimand, he appealed the decision but it was upheld.

District Attorney Bill Turner says Davis is just rehashing the past and has also made new accusations of racism against the D.A.'s office and the appellate judges who ruled on his appeal.

"We had hoped that he had gotten it behind him and we could go on and do the public's work and that's to be part of an effective criminal justice system and this office is trying to operate that way. But when this thing just keeps coming up and coming up. At some point you have to say enough is enough," says District Attorney Bill Turner.

"I think I have put it behind me but this is something that needs to be done though. This is something that needs to be improved and that everybody has due process. Judges should be treated fairly just like any criminal defendant," says Judge Davis.

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